Pursuit of Happyness
Pursuit of Happyness
Matthew 5:3
Intro
The Movie, “The Pursuit of Happyness”
· Self-Reliance: working hard
· Self-Confidence: Rubics’ Cube / His math skills in young age
· Self-expression: He went to the rich man’s house
My worries is that it might give false idea to people. “If you really want it, if you want this or that bad enough, if you put yourself 110%, then it will happen.” That is very novel thought. But it is not always true in real life. What would be the possibilities to be what you want to be. I am very pessimistic about it. Most of us will not be what we want to be. That’s fact of life.
Body
· World is giving us false thoughts.
However, there are more and more How-Tos. I was pumping the gas in the gas station, there was as in the screen. It was promoting “how to be millionaire.”
They will tell you, “you have got to be smarter, faster, creative, more confident or express yourself better than others and make your image whom might not really who you are.”
But usually only few fortunate get it. Those people come out and talking about how to pursue your dream. Basically how to be happy.
They come with luxurious cars, watches, clothes, etc with happy face. They give impression that you cannot be happy without success in the world without fame, money, materials, etc.
· The bible says the poor in spirit is happy
This is the first part of the beatitudes.
Blessed means happy not just regular happy but it is deeply happy. It is kind of happy last long. People say, when you purchase a new car, you are happy for a month, when you purchase a house, you are happy for three months, when you get married you are happy for 6 months. Happiness that people pursue doesn’t last long. That is why people go for more. But where is it going to be end?
· What does it make you happy?
· What will make you happy?
· Are you happy?
The poor in the spirit is happy. It is strange. People don’t think the poor is happy. Do you think the begger on the street is happy? When we are lack of something, we are not very happy about it. It is uncomfortable not having enough. Our natural tendency doesn’t prefer anything uncomfortable. Yet the bible say the poor is happy.
· What does “the poor in the spirit mean?”
That means that you are the poor in the Holy Spirit. You are the poor in the presence of God. You are lack of yourself. You don’t have to brag about your success. You don’t have to make your mask. You don’t have to impress God. You just simply lack of yourself. You realize you are limited. You realize that you are not strong enough. In order to fill the cup with fresh water, you have to empty the cup. In order for you to be filled with everlasting deep happiness, you have to empty yourself meaning humble before God.
· What “the poor in Spirit” is not
I realized how much I don’t know about the bible. I acknowledge that I am not really good at it. That kind of humblenss isn’t what the bible taking about
It doesn’t mean that you deny who you are. It doesn’t mean you have to press down your passion and your dream.
It certainly doesn’t mean you have to be literally poor. Just like the monk in monetary or Buddhist temple.
· The Humble in God gets the kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God doesn’t care how successful you are or how much money you have. It doesn’t care about your false mask. People who is accepted in the kingdom of God simply acknowledge that they need God and God alone. When that happens, you start see yourself with happiness.
Conclusion
The Beatitudes are not about what you have to do in order for you to get something. It simply shows the character of Christians. If you are disciples of Christ, this character “humblness” is in you. It is showing. It is something given by the grace of God.
Jesus Christ is truly humble. He showed his character through his fervent and consistent prayer. He even says, “I say what My Father wants me to say.” He didn’t have to die on the cross. He even say “No” to the cross at first but accepted because He knew it was God’s will.
What is your answer today before God?